FBI gets voter's IP address in new fraud probe tactic

FBI Requests IP Address in South Carolina Online Voter Registration Inquiry

The FBI obtained the IP address linked to an online voter registration in South Carolina through a request to state election officials, according to documents released under a public records request. The request occurred as part of federal reviews of voter registration data.

The action provides one example of how federal agencies are examining registration practices. President Trump has directed attention to potential ineligible registrations, including those involving noncitizens or out-of-state activity. Federal investigations have involved the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security alongside the FBI.

An IP address can indicate the approximate geographic location and internet service provider used for a registration but does not directly identify the individual. Forty-three states permit some form of online voter registration. Such data could show whether a registration originated outside a state or the country. Trump has stated that foreign actors, including in China, have attempted to affect U.S. elections through registration or voting activity.

South Carolina entered a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Department in April 2026. The agreement authorizes the sharing of voter registration lists in hashed form to identify potential ineligible entries. State officials complied with the IP address request under existing law.

The Justice Department has pursued voter roll data from multiple states through litigation, filing suits against 30 states and Washington, D.C. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has separately requested voter information in Texas and North Carolina. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dillon sent a letter to election officials reminding them of federal statutes prohibiting noncitizen voting in federal elections. DHS general counsel James Percival issued guidance directing immigration officers to consider voting-related offenses in deportation cases involving noncitizens. The department also announced plans to deploy poll watchers in three Arizona counties before the state's July primary.

An FBI agent in South Carolina requested the IP address in March, according to emails obtained by Democracy Forward and provided to Axios. A follow-up exchange in June showed the agent receiving the digital information. The State Election Commission's general counsel did not respond to requests for comment. The FBI also did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

York County election official Alan Helms stated that his office had not previously received a comparable request from federal law enforcement during his 20 years in the role. He confirmed compliance with the request. A former senior Justice Department official described such direct contacts with state election offices as uncommon.

New Jersey officials reported that a software error led to approximately 6,600 noncitizens being added to voter rolls. Governor Mikie Sherill stated that about 4,500 individuals have been removed following review, while noting that some initially flagged entries may belong to eligible voters. The Trump administration has cited New Jersey as an example of registration issues and has sought full access to the state's voter rolls. New Jersey has not provided the complete data.

A comparable software error in North Carolina in 2021 resulted in roughly 700 potential noncitizen registrations. More than 100 of those individuals cast ballots in the 2016 election. Prosecutors brought charges in only a limited number of cases, citing the registration error as unintentional in most instances. Some registrations occurred after individuals left citizenship questions blank on DMV forms or despite indications of noncitizen status.

Robert Weiner, former senior counsel in the Justice Department's civil rights division and director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, stated that the administration has examined multiple avenues related to election integrity concerns. The administration's actions have included both litigation and data-sharing agreements with states.

The South Carolina request remains one documented instance of federal authorities seeking IP data in connection with registration reviews. Officials have not indicated how frequently similar requests will occur.